Govt, private sector partnership needed to get Lao goods into more markets
Govt, private sector partnership needed to get Lao goods into more markets
Effective cooperation and support between government and private sectors is necessary to make the most of Laos' potential in regional and international markets, a senior official has said.
While Lao-made products have been more heavily promoted in recent years, until now government enterprises and the private sector have worked separately, diluting their efforts to provide strong products that have a competitive edge.
Speaking to Vientiane Times at the opening of the 4th Made in Laos Expo in Vientiane recently, President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), Mr Oudet Souvannavong, said the government and private sectors needed to join forces to strengthen their efforts in promoting Lao products in the region and further afield.
The LNCCI is introducing Lao brand name products, consisting of products manufactured in Laos and international brand name goods that are produced in Laos.
The 4th Made in Laos Expo gathers together an impressive display of products made or assembled in Laos by local and international businesses, for exhibition and sale.
The expo seeks to bolster the competitiveness of Lao products through the sharing of business experiences and innovative ideas, as well as business matching, to improve the quality of goods and services.
It is hoped the expo will raise awareness of Lao-made goods and encourage local people to make more use of Lao products, as well as inspiring visitors and investors from Laos and overseas to do business here.
If more people used Lao products, it would spur business operators to invest more in the manufacture of goods and generate more revenue within the country, Mr Oudet said.
In the past, it was mainly handicrafts, furniture and food products that had the most export potential but now we are producing many more goods that could be exported. These involve more complex industries such as electronic products, vehicles and spare parts, which are all made in Laos because of the low wages here and cheap electricity, he added.
Recently, we went to a food and beverage trade fair in France and of course we are exhibiting our food and beverage products at the ongoing expo in Vientiane to showcase and sell them to the wider world.
But if there were closer cooperation and support between the government and private sectors, we would be better able to promote Lao products in regional and international markets, Mr Oudet said.
